Deng inspires GB to win

The Chicago Bulls star had missed the hosts' defeats against France, Serbia and Croatia but he made a telling difference on his return for Chris Finch's side, as they won 64-56.

However, the impressive Joel Freeland played an equally decisive role, finishing with a team leading 18 points, compared to Deng's 15.

"Joel is just getting better and better and he's improved every year I worked with him, he's got a great future and he's getting more aggressive as a player," said Deng.

"It was a big performance from him and the team and we needed this win after losing three games. 

"It's really picked the guys up and we will look to finish on a high against Australia now."

Great Britain are 46 places below China, the world number ten team, on the Fiba world rankings but despite the absence of Detroit's Ben Gordon, ruled out by the NBA lockout, and the injured Pops Mensah-Bonsu, they proved an equal match.

After three defeats, well spun as moral victories, Finch's team took an early lead, maintaining a slender advantage after the first quarter and at half-time.

It got to within a point in the tense final quarter but Freeland maintained composure from the free throw line to help open up an almost comfortable margin at the buzzer.

NBA star Yi Jianlian top-scored with a game high 20 points, although China, quarter-finalists at the Beijing Olympics, remain a team in transition and with much work to do.

With Deng though Great Britain look a different prospect, his mere presence on the roster seeming to lift heads that might have dropped in recent days.

"It's going to take a while to get my rhythm going and I was pretty rusty but I will get there soon," he added.

"It's been a while since I played but I loved being back with the guys. It's been very tough to jump straight into the side.

"However, we've got a lot of improvements to make and we need to look at a few things, although the main thing was to win the game and we did that well."

Finch was delighted to welcome back his star man but was even more pleased with the performance of one-time first round NBA draft pick Freeland, which proved this is no one man team.

World number nine side Australia now await and Finch is aware with such clashes come baggage and history.

"Australia are a very good team and they are a great test. We know what it means to play them in any sport," he said.